Method and device for checking tire pressure

Abstract

A method for monitoring the pressure in a tire of a rolling vehicle includes determining the length of the tire contact patch of the tire in the driving direction and inferring the pressure in the tire from the length of the tire contact patch.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a method and a device for checking the pressure in a tire of a vehicle, in particular of a rolling vehicle.BACKGROUND INFORMATION[0002]The tire inflation pressure of a motor vehicle is very important for the safety in traffic, for the comfort and the driving behavior of the vehicle, for the fuel consumption, and for the tire wear. An inflation pressure which is not adapted to the stresses may significantly impair the directional and the driving stability and thus the safety of the vehicle, it may cause a noticeably increased fuel consumption, and result in a considerable shortening of the service life of the tires.[0003]For this reason, the check of the tire inflation pressure is an integral part of the regular motor vehicle check-up service. The check-up service now takes place in very large time intervals. The tire inflation pressure should, however, be checked on a regular basis, approximately every 2 weeks, and additio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides a method and device for checking the pressure of tires in low-speed driving areas such as driveways, repair shops or parking lots. The device measures the pressure of a tire by measuring the length of the contact patch on the tire. The sensors used are cost-effective and robust, and can also be used under rough checking conditions. The method also involves comparing the contact patches of multiple tires on one axle to increase reliability and ensure equal inflation pressure. Overall, the invention provides a widely usable and comfortable approach for checking tire inflation pressure.

Problems solved by technology

An inflation pressure which is not adapted to the stresses may significantly impair the directional and the driving stability and thus the safety of the vehicle, it may cause a noticeably increased fuel consumption, and result in a considerable shortening of the service life of the tires.

Presently, a manual check of the tire inflation pressure is possible at gas stations and in repair shops, but it is cumbersome.

Sensors of this type are, however, often inaccurate and expensive.

However, force sensor matrices are, on the one hand, expensive since the sensors must be situated across a sufficiently large area.

On the other hand, they are susceptible to destruction and erroneous measurements if they are configured as pressure-sensitive measuring films since they are subjected to mechanical transversal stresses when being rolled over due to startup and braking actions as well as due to wheel camber and toe-in of the wheel axle.

The above-described methods using force sensor matrices and force sensor rows have not been applied on a wide range so far, since the systems are very complex and require a complex electronic evaluation and arithmetic unit due to the large amount of data.

Due to wear, contamination, and the risk of damage to the glass plate, this system is not particularly well suited for use in a rough traffic environment, but rather reserved for laboratory operation.

Images